I’m glad you asked… don’t know what you’re asking about? Read here.

Week one is officially a success. Woot! Here are the results by kid:

Ashley age 9. Ashley is my kid who usually does whatever I ask of her- but lately she does the smallest amount possible hoping I won’t call her back to make her finish. She also only does what I ask when I ask- and I’m tired of the asking and the nagging. So this program was to help her learn to complete the job, to do her best job, and to ‘just do it’ when she sees something that needs to be done. She was very excited about the program at the beginning of the week- and was helpful for a day or two- but then she fizzled. She also only helped when I asked who wanted to earn some points- and then only if she wasn’t gone playing with friends, playing on the computer etc. She ended up with 7 points by today- she did lose 5 points yesterday for being deliberately disobedient- so she had earned 12 at one time. Ashley also desperately wants a WII, I told her if she earned 2500 points we’d get one.

Megan age 5 1/2. Megan is the one that everything is ‘too hard’ for or doesn’t like doing stuff because, ‘that will make me tired’. But she caught the spirit of the system. When I said that a webikinz would be in the family store she decided she was going to earn one. She asked what she could do to earn points all week, she worked hard and even did stuff for her sisters in exchange for their points (when they decided it would be easier to pay Megan points then to do it themselves). Megan worked harder and longer then any of her sisters to earn a Webikinz and ended the week with 28 points. The other part of this system is to teach the girls to save and deal with delayed gratification. BUT-Megan did more then a weeks worth of work really. I hadn’t assigned point values to the prizes yet because I wanted to see what was realistic to expect point wise first. I decided to make Webikinz worth 50 points- that way it’s within reach for next week really. But I’m excited that she’s excited to actually do chores! She did decide to pick out one prize (10 points for a fuzzy picture w/ markers) and save the rest of her points. Megan even declared that rinsing dishes and emptying garbages (all the little ones in the house into a big one to be taken out) are her ‘new favorite jobs’. Every kid needs a favorite right?

Annika age 4. Annika can be a very hard worker when she feels like it, especially if I’m in the same room working with her and I give her a chore that suits her OCD tendencies. She’s AWESOME at folding laundry, and recently I’ve discovered that she rocks at putting away the silverware (even Ashley mixes up the big forks and the little forks as well as the teaspoons and the tablespoons). But the key is, when she FEELS like it. If she doesn’t feel like it then there is no getting her to do it. She was perfectly willing to ‘pay’ Megan points when I asked her to do something and she didn’t feel like it. I’m trying really hard to make it a choice though- and she seemed to get it tonight when she didn’t have enough points for a doll that was available. I’m hoping this transfers for next week. She ended with 9 points.

Corinne age 2 1/2. Cori is still pretty little- but by this age my other kids would do what I asked when given simple chores. I don’t know if it was because we were all working together or because she wanted points (I’m sure she didn’t comprehend what that meant) but she was very helpful this week. Cori ended up with 10 points.

Overall I felt like there was less overwhelming quantity of mess this week. We used to have to do chores before dinner at my house growing up- and I think that’s where I’m having chore issues. I can’t supervise/nag/help kids with chores while I’m making dinner (which is what is happening before dinner) so it’s easier not to do it. But if AFTER dinner we all hang out until the kitchen/dining area is cleaned- and then I assign more chores for kids that want more points then we can get a lot done in that 45 minutes after dinner.

Clear as mud?
Questions you’d like answered? (about our new chore doing thing- although I’ll answer other questions too)
Suggestions?
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Filed under: I'm a mom, family events